This posting deals with one of the great staples of Southern natural teas. SASSAFRASS! One of best tasting teas you can gather yourself. The sassarass tree can grow to huge heights, but the smaller ones are easy to access. Look in any wild herb book, or online, to identify, but if in doubt, crumple a green leaf, or twist a green twig in you hands, it will smell a bit like lime aftershave. Kind of. The trees multiply by two ways, seeds and shoots along the ground, from large roots. You can use the bark of the tree, but it's a bit weak, and bitter as all hell. Locate the small shoots ( no more than about 3 feet tall ) and dig up the root, as much as you can find. This is what makes the very best tea. It can be used fresh, or dried and used much later. Lasts a very long time. If fresh, cut into small pieces and boil for three to five minutes ( the longer, the stronger ) Dried, the same, just takes a little bit longer. It can be steeped just like any herbal tea, again, the longer, the stronger.
This is a great picker-upper on the trail, over a fire in the evening for tired bodies, believe me! However, do not use this tea for everyday drinking, as after a while, it can make you a little sick. Same as for any herbal tea. This tea tastes great with natural sugar, or muscavado. fair with honey, awful with maple sugar (MY OPINION ).